Hand trap



Feb. 19, 1952 1.. c. MARLEY ,58

HAND TRAP Filed Oct. 15, 1948 INVENTOR LESLlE C.MARLEY ATTORNEYSPatented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,586,547 HAND TRAPLeslie 0. Marley, Milwaukee, Wis. Application October 15, 1948, Serial N0. 54,731

This invention appertains to traps for the throwing of targets, and moreparticularly to a novel device for facilitating the accurate anddistance throwing of targets or clay birds by hand,

One of the primary objects of my invention is to provide a hand trapembodying a hand grip and an elongated guide extending forwardly fromthe hand grip for the target, with novel means located at the inner endof the guide for frictionally gripping an edge of .the target to holdthe same in place until the trap is given a rapid, circular motion bythe hand and arm and a snap at the end of the motion or stroke; the snapor whip at the end of the stroke functioning to release the target fromthe holding means, so that the same under influence of centrifugal forcewill fly from the guide in the desired direction.

Another salient object of my invention is to provide a tapered frictionshoe at the inner end of the guide, so that the trap can be cocked bymerely pushing the target back against the shoe, the shoe engaging thetarget at one side thereof and back of its transverse center, so that aspin will be placed on the target as the same leaves the guide.

A further important object of my invention is to provide a hand trap ofthe above character, which will be durable and efiicient in use, onethat will be simple and easy to manufacture and one which can be placedon the market at a reasonable cost and easily manipulated by the user.

A still further important object of my invention is to provide a handtrap in which the use of all mechanical parts, such as springs and thelike, is eliminated, and one in which the breakage of clay birdsincident to the placing of the birds in the trap and the throwing of thebirds is eliminated.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will beherein.- after more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which drawing:

Figure l, is a top plan view of my improved hand trap with parts thereofbroken away and in section to illustrate structural details.

Figure 2, is a longitudinal sectional view through the hand trap takenon the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3, is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure1, looking in the direction of the arrows, the trap showing a target inplace therein, the view being on a larger scale than Figures 1 and 2.

1 Claim. (Cl. 124-5) 2 Figure 4, is an enlarged fragmentary plan viewpartly in section, illustrating the engagement of the friction shoe withthe edgexof the target.

Figure 5, is a diagrammatical view in top plan illustrating the use ofmy hand trap.

Referring to the drawing in detail, wherein similar reference charactersdesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter Hgenerally indicates my improved novel hand trap for throwing a target T.

The target T is referred to bytrap shooters as clay birds or pigeons. Asillustrated, the target T includes a substantially circular body It,having an annular base ll providing an annular shoulder I2.

The hand trap H includes an elongated guideway l3, having a hand grip Mat the inner end thereof. The guideway l3 includes a flat base plate l5carrying on its upper face, at its longitudinal sides, guide rails IS.The guide rails l6 are provided with inturned flanges H.

The hand trap can be constructed in various ways and out of anypreferred type of material, but as illustrated, the same includes a flatbottom board, which forms the base plate 5 5 and the side rails 16 arefastened thereto by securing elements l8. If desired, a sheet ofanti-friction material l9 can be secured to the top of the base platel5. This sheet material can be constructed from a smooth plastic film inorder to permit the free movement of the target T from out of the trap,as will be later set forth.

One guide rail l6 has secured thereto at its extreme inner end andadjacent to the handle M, a friction shoe 20. This shoe is preferablyformed from soft rubber and is tapered from its rear end toward itsforward end, as can be clearly seen from Figures 1 and 4 of the drawing.

In use of my hand trap H the target T is slid into the guide l3 from theforward end thereof with the flanges 11 over the annular shoulder l2.The target is moved to the extreme inner end of the guideway [3, afterwhich the same is given a rearward push toward the handle I4, which willbring the target into intimate frictional contact with the shoe. Thiscocks the trap.

The hand grip I4 is now firmly grasped in the hand of the user (seeFigure 5) and the trap is given a circular motion substantially in ahorizontal plane, but with the forward end of the guideway elevated to adesired pitch. As the end of the stroke is reached, at the point Wherethe target is to be discharged, a whip or snap is given to the trap.This dislodges the target from the friction shoe and the target israpidly discharged a desired spin to-thentarget. Thiswill: increase thedistanceof travel of the target and give othe advantages such asdirectness of flight, which is also aided by the elongated guide.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided anexceptionally simple form of hand trap, which can be placed 'FupQmthesmarket at a reasonable cost and which will effec:

tively permit the convenient and -acc'urateplac ing of targets by hand,and one in whichthe use of mechanical springs and the like is eliminatedand. the breakage of birds is prevented;

Changes in details may be made without idea parting from. the A spiritor U the scope of mg; in-

vention, but what I .claim as new is;

A hand trap .for throwingetargets comprising an. elongated guidewayextending for a length'of at least twice the diameter of the targetincludinga fiat baseplate and longitudinally extend-f ingguide railshaving inturnedflanges for receiving the opposite sides of attargetgahand grip onthe rear end of the guideway; Said guide rails openinggout-at the: front end of the guideway, and a resilient frictionshoe at thevextreme-- rear end of the guideway arranged within one of said rails,whereby to frictionally contact an edge of the target when said targetis pushed rearwardly into the guideway toward the handle, said shoebeing tapered downwardly and forward- 1 from the rear end of theguideway toward the front end of the guideway, said shoe being in rearof the transverse center of the target, when the target is in theextreme rear end of the guideway and: inf-its -cockedlposition; saidhand grip closing therear end of the guideway andhaving its centrallongitudinal axis aligned with the central longitudinal axis of theguideway, whereby at the end of the throwing motion the longitudinalaxis of the guideway and the throwers arm are sub'stantially aligned toaid in controliingethedirectionof the flight of the target.

LESLIE C. MARLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The-following references are of record in:the fiie ofthis-"patent: v

UNITED SIJA'I'ES"PATENTS Number. Name Date 281,183. Fischer July: 10,1883 766,997 Horst Aug.,.9, 1904, 780,882 Hardy Jan. 24, 1905' 1,607,874Dar-ton: Nov. 23, 1926 FOREIGN PATENTS Numberv Country, Datel 4 755,443France Sept.'11,]1933.'

